This invention relates to disc clutches, and particularly to an arrangement for engaging a disc clutch.
Disc clutches are often used to selectively engage portions of a gear drive. The disc clutch may consist of a pair of elements having opposing flat surfaces or it may constitute several interdigited plates which are brought together by axial movement of one of the elements or plates relative to the other. When the elements or plates are brought together the clutch is engaged and power can be transmitted through the abutting surfaces.
It is typical to use a spline to mount the element which must move axially for engagement of the disc clutch. The spline ensures the proper radially positioning of the element relative to the axis of the clutch and at the same time permits the necessary sliding motion in the axial direction. However, such splines are expensive to manufacture and can wear excessively under repeated axial motion. Examples of disc clutches which use splines to mount the plates or discs are U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,529 issued July 26, 1966 to Kramer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,393 issued June 13, 1978 to Spokas. Another example of a use of a spline to mount the interengaging clutch plates is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,774 issued Nov. 25, 1975 to Hagen. In that later patent the spline member is itself mounted on a shaft on needle bearings and slides axially along the shaft during engagement and disengagement of the clutch.
The apparatus in accordance with my invention completely eliminates the need for splines in a disc clutch for connecting gearing.